Healing Daniel Jackson
by drgemini86
Summary: Sequel to Educating Daniel Jackson, set 8 to 9 years later. Pained hearts need closure, and beautiful Air Force Generals can't resist blue eyes, no matter what year it is. SamDaniel, DanielOC
1. Chapter 1

_About eight years after the end of Educating Daniel Jackson… so, that would make it… season 19… timeline wise (when they got Daniel back home, it was roughly season 11). Sam and Daniel are about fifty-one…_

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Daniel Jackson, short hair greying at the temples but still oh-so Daniel, sat on the couch with his twin daughters on his knees. He was telling them the story of Alexander the Great, and got to the part about Stateira, wife of Darius, reputed to be the most beautiful woman in Asia. His eyes clouded over briefly as he trailed off, and the girls both looked up at him with eyes the same colour as their father's. One of them asked,

"Daddy?"

He wordlessly albeit gently lifted them to sit on the couch before he quickly left the room. One of the girls made to go after him but the other one said,

"Claire – Mommy said to leave Daddy alone when he gets upset."

"But Grace, he just went out and Uncle Jack said that we had to look after him."

"Mommy will be cross."

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Daniel leant in the back doorway staring out into the yard as he remembered _his_ Stateira… who just so happened to have the same name as the more famous one. He closed his eyes as he rested his head on the frame, smiling slightly as he remembered the great Cheval races across wasteland and arable land on Perseia. He could see her dark hair tumbling around her shoulders, and almost hear her carefree laugh.

Sam, her hair greying too and reaching down to her shoulders, found him this way. She put a hand on his shoulder and asked,

"Sha're?"

He looked over his shoulder, surprised to see her before replying,

"Stateira."

"Ah."

He turned around completely and kissed her, asking with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes,

"How was your day, General?"

She smiled back at him, knowing that he was hiding his pain but decided to play along for a bit. She replied,

"I can see why Jack got pissed at being promoted… all that paperwork and those bickering diplomats… I wish I had his gall though – he used to lock them in VIP rooms."

He smiled a little more, saying, "Yeah…"

She looked at him in concern for a moment as she said,

"You scared the twins – you know what walking out like that does to them."

He looked down at his feet, mumbling,

"Sorry."

She hugged him, saying, "The only thing you have to apologise for is trying to hide everything… Cam and Vala are dropping by in a few minutes to take the twins ice skating with the triplets, so there'll just be you and me… and hopefully no new enemies on the block for a full two hours."

He hugged her back, replying, "Ok."


	2. Chapter 2

The front door opened and Cam called as he stepped into the hallway of the Carter-Jackson residence,

"Jackson… Sam…"

Vala, noticeably pregnant, remarked from behind him,

"You know, they're probably having some Indy fun."

Cam chuckled, retorting, "And you would know this how!?"

"If he comes into the SGC genuinely smiling tomorrow morning, you owe me a diaper change with the unborn one."

"Aw honey…"

He kissed her on the cheek just as they heard loud thumping on the stairs. They looked up to see the Carter-Jackson twins calling as they ran down,

"Uncle Cam! Auntie Vala!"

Vala smiled and waved as Cam said,

"I see you kids are ready… where's your Mom and Dad?"

Grace replied, "They're out back… I'll go get them."

She sprinted off down the hall, swinging her knapsack, as Claire asked,

"Will you be ice-skating too this time, Uncle Cam?"

Cam replied as he glanced at Vala,

"Aw Claire, you know I'd love to, but your Aunt Vala needs someone to look out for her."

Vala retorted, "I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, thank you very much _General Mitchell_… goodness knows I've had enough years of doing that! Don't disappoint the little girl – she's got Daniel's eyes and she knows how to use them."

Cam chuckled just as Sam and Daniel appeared, the latter saying,

"Hey Mitchell."

"Boy, Jackson, you look positively weary… I'm not gonna ask you to come with us – you need to get some rest."

Sam remarked with a smile, "He's an Archaeologist – he doesn't know the meaning of the word."

She continued as Grace came bounding back,

"How are the kids? How come you haven't brought them in?"

Vala remarked, "They're a boisterous bunch – you would need to redecorate after five minutes… Cameron insisted that they stay in the car."

Cam retorted with a smile, "All your fault."

She shook her head at him slightly, smiling, and Sam asked her,

"How're you holding up? You look positively radiant – I am so jealous. When I was having the twins, I was just tired all of the time."

Daniel murmured with a smile,

"Tell me about it."

Vala replied, "Well, I got used to it… the triplets weren't my first, you know."

The adults all exchanged little guarded looks before Cam clapped and said with a grin to the twins,

"Alright, time's-a-wastin' little Carter-Jacksons – come on."

Sam and Daniel kissed their children goodbye, the former saying,

"Be good for Uncle Cam and Auntie Vala."

As the twins walked down the driveway with Cam and Vala, Daniel called after them,

"If you get approached by someone with pale skin and a huge stick, knee them in the crotch and run away."

Cam remarked over his shoulder,

"Now Jackson that would be absolutely impossible…"

Vala added, "Scary too."

Grace asked, "What do you mean?"

Cam bent down and whispered,

"You remember Wormhole X-Treme?"

The twins both nodded, and Vala said,

"The big bad guys in season 9 and 10…"

Claire shook her head saying,

"Daddy wouldn't let us watch it after season eight, saying that the new guys killed it."

Cam remarked as he unlocked his car,

"Is that so?"


	3. Chapter 3

After Cam and Vala had left with the twins, Sam and Daniel sat together on the couch with mugs of coffee. Now that they were alone, his pain was evident on his face as he sat, his eyes downcast. She touched his hand, saying,

"Come on, what's eating you up?"

He sighed and put the mug down on the coffee table before replying as he leant against the back of the couch,

"I should've gone back to Perseia to see Stateira again but one thing led to another and I didn't."

Concerned, she asked as she placed her mug down too,

"You don't regret me and the twins… do you?"

He met her gaze replying sincerely,

"Of course not… you and the girls mean everything to me… it's just that…"

"You need closure. We left so suddenly and moved so fast that you didn't get a chance."

"I guess so."

She pulled him into a hug as he rested his face in the crook of her neck, whispering,

"I'm sorry Sam… I must sound like an idiot."

"No you don't."

Still holding him, she pulled back to look him in the eyes as she asked,

"How about if I authorise a little mission to Perseia? Just you, me and Jack… and probably Teal'c… Jack would jump at the chance to go off-world again."

Surprised, he stared at her and asked in an awed voice,

"You'd do that?"

She remarked with a smile,

"Honey, you know I'd do anything for you… it's those eyes."

Smiling at her, this time genuinely, he pulled her into a hug, whispering,

"Thank you."

She remarked with a grin as she slid his glasses off,

"Well, now we've got the house all to ourselves, what do you say to some healing… Indy?"

He grinned back at her, retorting,

"I thought you'd never ask… Marion."


	4. Chapter 4

The original members of SG-1, dressed in combat gear, stood in the gateroom as Walter dialled the 'gate. Jack, gazing up at the 'ol' Orifice', remarked,

"It's been a few years since I've been through one of these… miss it like hell."

Daniel retorted with a smile, "Does that mean that you miss it as much as Ne'tu?"

"Funny Dannyboy…"

Cassie, who was seeing them off, remarked,

"No pointless fights or sacrificing your lives pointlessly, d'ya hear?!"

SG-1, including Teal'c, replied in chorus,

"Yes Doctor Fraiser."

"Good… you know I'm just as threatening as Mom with my needles."

Jack retorted good-naturedly, "Cass, Janet was the Queen of the Needle Grotto."

Daniel stage-whispered to her, "He's only saying that because he's after the biggest one for himself."

Jack slapped him on the back, remarking,

"Those twins are having an affect on you, I see."

The event horizon established, Cam, in his capacity as Sam's second-in-command, walked in and said,

"Sorry I'm late… Good luck folks… no dying, Jackson."

Daniel raised his eyebrows at him and SG-1 said their farewells before walking up the ramp, Jack clapping Teal'c on the shoulder and asking,

"Hey, after work, bring Ish'ta over – Sara's been wantin' to see her for ages."


	5. Chapter 5

_Italics – Jaffa_

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Daniel gazed up at the once-familiar skies of Perseia, its two Suns dipping in the horizon, spreading rosy hues across the Western sky. Jack remarked,

"Boy, talk about being born again – we're Uhura's kids now… which is pretty FUBAR what with you two being hitched."

Sam and Teal'c smiled as Daniel said, rolling his eyes,

"Jaaack."

They waited for a short while but no-one came to greet them, which worried Daniel as Gyges had taken it upon himself to greet visitors through the 'gate. Frowning slightly, he walked down the winding path, followed by his friends, to the farmhouse.

He knocked on the door and called,

"Lyncaea… Croesus… Stateira…"

The door flew open to reveal a very surprised looking Stateira. She threw herself at him, saying in Jaffa,

"_Indy! I thought you would never return!_"

She led him into the house, not noticing the rest of the team, who remained outside with bemused expressions, and she looked up at him, studying his face. She said,

"_You are old, Indy… your hair has ripened._"

He gazed down at her, saying with a smile as he lifted a long strand of dark hair,

"_I may be an old man Stateira, but you are as young as the last time I saw you._"

He leant down to gently kiss her, their arms tightening around each other's waists. She remarked,

"_You may be an old man but you have not forgotten how to kiss._"

He asked her, "_What happened to Gyges?_"

She lowered her gaze, replying as tears fell,

"_Grandfather passed away two years ago… mother and father soon afterwards. I am the only one of the House of Gyges that remains._"

He hugged her, saying with tears in his eyes,

"_I am sorry for not visiting you before now – there was a war in my home but we won it… _"

She asked as she noticed him hesitating,

"_Did you marry the one whom you love?_"

He replied, "_I did… she is waiting outside with my friends._"

She hugged him, saying,

"_She is a good woman and the only one who can make you truly happy – do not forget that for a moment._"

"_I know…_"

Just then a small child ran in, clutching Stateira's skirts as he looked up at Daniel shyly, and the Archaeologist smiled, asking,

"_What is his name?_"

"_Indy._"

He smiled again and reached into his pocket, asking,

"_Do you wish to see a picture of my daughters?_"

She nodded and he showed her a photo of the twins. She smiled, saying,

"_They have your eyes… what are their names?_"

"Claire _and_ Grace… Claire_ was my mother's name, and _Grace _was Sam's mother's name… they each have two names – Claire's second name is Lyncaea, and Grace's is Stateira._"

She smiled at him and said,

"_I am happy that you have found happiness, Indy, and thank you for coming to see me._"

She reached under her robes and pulled out a string with a shell on it. His eyes lit up in recognition as he held the shell in his palm as she said with a wistful expression,

"_I have never removed it… it is a reminder of the man that I love but could not have._"

"_Who did you marry?_"

"_Roxane's brother, Cyrus. He is a good man but he is not you._"

She gently pulled him closer and kissed him once more on the lips. She was about to pull away again when he stopped her, and returned the gesture, his fingers running through her hair. He whispered,

"_I must go now Stateira…_"

She caressed his jaw as she replied,

"_I understand, Indy. Will you come again?_"

"_I think it would be best if I do not for a long time… I do not wish to cause problems between you and Cyrus… and myself and my wife._"

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she began to cry against his shoulder. Tears in his own eyes, he smoothed her hair and said,

"_Perhaps one day I will return, but I cannot say so with certainty._"

He tenderly dried her eyes and kissed her one last time, whispering as he gestured towards her head and her heart,

"_Even if I do not return, I will always be with you… here… and here._"

She hugged him and he knelt down to little Indy's level and said as he smoothed his mop of dark hair,

"_You take good care of your mother, young man._"

The little boy just peeked at him from his mother's skirts and Daniel smiled as he stood up. He gazed at her for a moment and said,

"_Farewell Stateira._"

Wiping away her tears, she replied, "_Farewell Indy._"

And with that he walked out of the house and straight past his friends to the 'gate, each of them wondering what had happened. When they reached the 'gate, Sam put a hand on Daniel's shoulders as he turned away from them, looking up at the sky one last time, and asked,

"Daniel?"

Feeling guilt-ridden, he replied, "I'll be ok Sam… I just need to get home."

She patted his shoulder and watched Teal'c dial the 'gate. Jack remarked as he clapped both Sam and Teal'c's shoulders,

"Boy, oh boy, Hole of Uhura."

They smiled, and Daniel said with a slight smile as he turned around,

"Ring of Ahura Mazda."

"My way's more interesting and colourful… you, uh, got your closure?"

Daniel nodded, his eyes downcast and Sam squeezed his arm reassuringly. Teal'c asked,

"How is Stateira?"

Daniel replied distractedly, "I'll tell you when we get home."

He turned to Sam and smiled, saying,

"Thank you Sam."

Smiling at him, she replied, "Any time."


	6. Chapter 6

The twins in bed, Daniel lay on the couch and stared at the ceiling without his glasses. Sam came into the lounge and remarked as she joined him,

"So… penny for your thoughts?"

He exhaled and replied, "I doubt that they're worth that much."

She ran a hand across his chest, asking,

"What's wrong? You look troubled."

He sighed and said quietly, still not looking at her,

"I kissed her."

She smiled slightly, saying, "Ah… I thought so."

Surprised, he looked down at her and asked,

"You're not mad?"

"Of course not – I know you and her have a special bond Daniel, but I also know that your heart's mine… Is that why you wouldn't kiss or touch me since you left the farmhouse?"

"I'm sorry Sam… I just feel guilty."

"It's ok – I'm fine about it. You both needed it."

She remarked coyly, "Can I have my kiss now?"

Smiling a smile that reached his eyes, he kissed her, slow and deep, retorting as he left her breathless,

"Naturellement."

She rested her head on his chest, remarking,

"You better be careful with that French of yours, Professor Jackson… it just might get you into a spot of bother."

He retorted with a grin, "Pourquoi?"

She replied as she unbuttoned his shirt,

"Parce que, je t'aime et je veux passer la reste de ma vie avec toi."

"Oh now you've done it… I'm sorely tempted to do a Gomez Addams impression."

"You look gay with facial hair."

He chuckled, retorting, "You should've seen Paul's face when I grew that beard."

"I'm surprised he could see your face… no, I like my clean-shaven Indy much better."

Before he could reply, she kissed him, and he ran his fingers under her shirt, whispering,

"Entre deux coeurs qui s'aiment, nul besoin de paroles."

fin

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_Wow, I managed to finish the whole within a couple of hours! Please review and let me know what you think – thank you so much for keeping up with the story as I wrote it. By the way, the child on Perseia isn't, ahem, Indy's… one: Daniel didn't let things go further with Stateira, and two: even if he had, the kid's too young. Just added that 'cos it confused _me_ a wee bit (and I wrote it… god knows what you guys think!)_

_Ooh, some French translations:_

_Pourquoi_

_Why?_

_Parce que, je t'aime et je veux passer la reste de ma vie avec toi_

(Because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you)

_Entre deux coeurs qui s'aiment, nul besoin de paroles_

(Two hearts in love need no words – Desbordes-Valmore)


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